Finale
by Dr. Breifs Cat
Summary: It's meant to be about Zechs's 'death,' but wound up more like a quasi-romantic Heero/Relena thing. Takes place during the last episode, so it's pre-EW.


Disclaimer: I do not own anything affiliated with Gundam Wing and I am not making any money from this work of fanfiction. Gundam Wing is property of Sunrise, I believe.

Author Notes: I like writing from Heero's POV. Kind of obvious, huh? Second, the title only makes a minimal amount of sense, but I couldn't think of anything better. It is in reference to the 'Final Battle' of GW. Third, it wasn't meant to be romantic, but it kind of turned out that way. It's really supposed to be more like 'Relena being a good sister.' Fourth, it's pre-Endless Waltz, so they think Milliardo is dead. And fifth, the ending doesn't really resolve anything, but I left it like that on purpose. It just seemed like the right time for the screen to fade to black.

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Finale

I descended from Zero, the other Gundam pilots behind me, similarly exiting their mobile suits. We docked in the hanger of Libra, as Peacemillion's hanger was not particularly accessible. I think the only thing going through my mind at the time was the thought that the battles were over, yet I had announced that I would continue living. I no longer had a purpose. A few loose ends to tie up, but nothing more.

I reached the floor of the hanger, and soon heard the sound of the other Gundam pilots landing from the hatch of their suits as well. The 'crew' of Peacemillion had apparently anticipated our return; Noin, Major Po, Howard, Dorothy Catalonia and Relena were already there. 

Immediately, Relena began walking towards me, at a swift, confidant pace. I regretted leaving so much unclarified between us after our last few meetings, but I had never intended to come back; I thought in the long run it wouldn't matter. I would die and she would live. All that had gone without being resolved would be forgotten. But I had survived and she was approaching me.

There were no words exchanged. Without pausing, she reached out a pulled my flight suit helmet off. It fell from her hands and clattered on the ground as she cupped my face in her hands and pulled my head towards her. I made no protest as my lips slammed down on her mouth, her hands still gripping my cheeks.

I'm far from an expert on the subject, but I don't think what we were doing was kissing. I certainly wasn't kissing her, and I'm fairly certain she wasn't kissing me; our lips were touching, but there was no movement or pressure after the initial touch. 

I could hear Duo making cat calls behind us, but neither Relena nor I moved away from each other. Duo's asinine shouts were not enough to make me abandon the alien feeling of skin-to-skin contact with another person. But there was something else that was. So, I hesitantly pulled away.

"There is something we need to discuss," I said softly. She nodded, and I led her away from the hanger, and the crowd.

I stood leaning against a wall, head faced down and arms folded. She was only a few feet away, waiting for me to tell her what it was that was so damned important. I was silent; it was something I wanted her to hear from me, but I didn't know how to say it in a way that wouldn't crush her. I don't want to hurt her, one of the many things I learned earlier that day, when we were together on Libra. Unfortunately, there was no way I could spare her innocent heart. 

I turned my head to face her, and looked her in the eye with every mask and emotional wall I could muster intact.

"Zechs is dead." Simple, fast way to tell her that her brother was dead.

"What?" She asked in a quiet, almost lost voice. She turned sharply to look back towards the hanger. 

"No, no he's not dead." Her eyes were tearing and it must have only now occurred to her that he didn't return from the battle. 

"He can't be dead, Heero. I never even got to know him." Tears were rolling down her cheeks, her hands covering her mouth and nose. The salty streams were beginning to run onto her fingers. 

"He's not dead," she repeated, her voice muffled by her hand. "He's my brother. I already lost my real parents and Father, my brother's not dead, too!"

Her knees buckled and she was on the slouched on the floor sobbing before long. When she stopped long enough to take a breath, she would mutter to herself about 'what would she tell Noin?' or how terrible she was for wishing ill against Zechs in Antarctica. 

_'Why didn't you kill me?'_

'Relena would be sad.' 

He was dead, regardless of my actions, and I failed to protect her emotions.

I offered the only thing I could do for her now: "I'll tell Noin." 

I pushed off from the wall I had been leaning against and turned towards the hanger; no one else had left yet.

"No," she called, her voice shaking and one of her arms reaching out towards me. "I want to. You just stay with me."

I nodded and crouched down beside her. Tentatively, I put a gloved hand on her shoulder. Relena turned and threw her arms around me, clinging to me and sobbing against me. 

"It's not fair," she said, "I never got to talk to him about anything but these stupid battles. He was my brother and I didn't know him. It's not right."

She moved her head so that she could see me, her eyes where red and the rims were swollen. The only thing running through my mind was that there was nothing I could do. I did as she requested and merely stayed with her, until she pushed herself up and onto her feet. Slowly and deliberately she returned to the hanger, and I remained crouched on the floor, watching her. 

"Relena..."


End file.
